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Impending Storm Postpones House Votes

By Carl Hulse February 8, 2010 6:45 pmFebruary 8, 2010 6:45 pm

With Washington still digging out from the weekend snow and expecting more snow beginning Tuesday afternoon, the House leadership put off votes set for Tuesday night, leaving the Congressional schedule for the week uncertain.

House officials said they would reassess Tuesday based on updated weather forecasts, but the decision means that scores of lawmakers will not have to try to return to Washington during the day Tuesday just as another storm was predicted to begin and with the region’s airports still recovering from being shut down over the weekend.

Congress is already scheduled to be out next week for a President’s Day recess and Democratic leaders would prefer not to lose this entire week. But another significant accumulation of snow, estimated at anywhere from 8 to 20 inches by Wednesday, could force them to cancel the remainder of the week and return at the end of the month. An announcement on plans was expected Tuesday afternoon.

“We remain focused on completing our work for the week, but will assess the state of the weather tomorrow and move forward accordingly,” Representative Steny H. Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland and the majority leader, said in a statement issued Monday.

The Senate has votes set for Tuesday evening and aides said there were presently no plans to postpone them after putting them off once for tonight. The Capitol complex was nearly deserted today with few lawmakers, staff members or support workers on hand.

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